VANCOUVER -- Imagine a world where you can report that nasty pothole outside your front door with a quick text message; where your neighbour with the crazy work hours can go online at midnight to book an appointment to have his kitchen renovation inspected; where a negligent dog owner can instantly register her unlicenced pooch rather than paying a hefty fine.

These are some of the changes Vancouver hopes to bring about over the next four years as it moves farther into the 21 century under the direction of a sweeping new digital strategy.

“Think about it: Would you take out an account at a bank that you could only go to between 8:30 and 4:30? Probably not if that was your only way you could pay a bill or get money out ... The city is kind of back in that 8:30 to 4:40 world, and it just doesn’t work for people,” Coun. Andrea Reimer said of the reasoning behind the $30-million strategy, a first of its kind for Vancouver.

Among the nine priorities identified in the strategy — released Wednesday in advance of the scheduled April 9 meeting of mayor and council — is a major overhaul of the city’s permit and licensing systems. The upgrade would allow for 24/7 digital access to everything from inspection reports and licensing applications to reporting complaints and registering for a community program.

Other priorities include a proposal to expand free Wi-Fi service across various city-owned facilities such as community centres and parks and “key destinations” such as the Granville pedestrian mall in the downtown core.

The city will also look to develop, attract and retain talent in the digital sector and encourage digital start-ups through the creation of a “digital incubator” program.

Sandra Singh, the city’s chief librarian and co-chair of the digital strategy team, said the overall goal is to create more and easier ways for citizens and businesses to interact with the city in terms of how services are requested and received.

Singh’s team also worked with members of the Vancouver Economic Commission to ensure the strategy helps to better position Vancouver as a “global leader” in supporting innovation and growth in the digital economy.

Singh said Vancouver is currently in the middle of the pack when compared with numerous cities around the world in terms of technology, digital adoption and whether what is there is being used in the best way.

“We are doing some things really well, but we could, certainly, do better. There are opportunities to really see some great improvements over the next while,” she said.

Reimer said the strategy provides a roadmap for the city to ensure it can adequately assist its citizens and businesses move ahead in the modern world.

The digital economy may sound like a slice of the world, but “digital is now the whole world,” Reimer noted.

“If you are a restaurant owner on Commercial Drive, you, too, have had to go through your own digital revolution, whether that is how people order takeout to how your point-of-sale works. Or if you are a clothing store you are probably in ten years time going to do way more business online than you would in the bricks and mortar world. “How are we, as a city, enabling that?” she said.

About $28 million of the $30 million in costs are already budgeted or have been approved by council as part of the 2013 budget, according to a staff report to council.

The strategy expands early city efforts, beginning in the 1990s, to bridge the “digital divide” through the public library system. VPL has more than 400 computers available across the city offering the public Internet access and office software. As well, there are 100 computers that connect to subscription e-resources and government information.

The library was also an early adopter of social media networks and chat groups to engage and communicate with its users.

According to Statistics Canada, 54 per cent of households with incomes of $30,000 or less have home Internet access, compared to 97 per cent of households with incomes of more than $87,000.

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